Hinge



May 10, 1938.

J. s. cLA K HINGE Filed Jan. 22, 1937 Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention contemplates and provides improvements in the construction and operation of double-acting hinges for use on doors, gates or similar closures.

Thus, I provide a hinge swinging freely in either direction about its hinging axes. I further provide in a double-acting hinge, a spring which not only acts toclose the door, gate or the like with which the hinge is associated, but also retains the closure in an open position. Other objects of the invention reside in details of construction and arrangement of parts inherent in the specific embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the hinge when swung to an open position, and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the hinge in its closed position and also showing in dotted lines the open position of the swinging hinge member.

As shown in the two views of the drawing, the hinge comprises two hinge members, each provided with U-shaped pieces. The U-shaped piece 4 of one member carries posts 2 at its four outermost corners, for rocking engagement with the notches l at the four outermost corners of. the other U-shaped piece 5. The latter U-shaped piece being slightly narrower, the two cooperating hinge members may rock freely with the respective posts and notches in engagement. While the vertical inner portion of each U-shaped piece provides a flat base suitable for use in attaching the hinge, I also provide a pair of attaching straps or wings 6 on each hinge member. These straps extend from the ends of the flat bases in a direction opposite from the extended portions of the U-shaped pieces. The door and frame are secured between these straps which may be arranged to fit close to the sides thereof. Holes 1 in the straps receive the usual fastening means, as seen in the drawing.

The spring action of my hinge is obtained by the use oi a spiral spring 3 having its respective ends fastened centrally of each of the flat base portions of the U-shaped pieces, as shown in the drawing. This spring serves to hold the two hinge members in assembled, working relation and in rocking the hinge about two of the vertically aligned sets of posts and notches the spring acts to urge the hinge to closed position. Moreover, if the hinge is rocked open far enough to allow the axis of the spring to swing outward past the axis of one set of posts and notches the spring will then yieldingly retain the hinge in its extreme open position. The simple coil spring shown can be replaced at low cost, in the event it becomes broken.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a double-acting hinge of simple and rugged construction and further made provision for a spring in the construction, thus providing greater utility for hinges of the kind described.

I claim:

1. The combination in a hinge of two U-shaped pieces each comprising a fiat base portion and two flat rectangular extending portions with posts fixed to the outer corners of the extending portions of one U-shaped piece and notches in corresponding corners of the other U-shaped piece to engage the posts in assembled relation of the hinge, one of the U-shaped pieces being narrower than the other to allow the hinge to work freely.

2. A hinge, as defined in claim 1 wherein the respective ends of a spiral spring are attached to the two U-shaped pieces between the two hinging axes of each piece to spring urge the two pieces to closed position and with the hinge in a wide open position the spring acting to retain the hinge open.

JESSE S. CLARK. 

